Speaking For the Very First Time
by TheBeatles141
Summary: Three months after defeating the Brotherhood of Evil, Jericho and the other Honorary Titans get invited by the mayor of Jump City to attend a Halloween Costume Party in their honor. Will he find his voice to ask Kole out? Slight JeriKole with hints of other major couples. Please read and REVIEW! This is my first ever Fan-fiction, so I would really appreciate it if you would!
1. The Invitation

**Author's Note: Hi everyone! Okay, so this is my first fan-fiction that I'm posting, so I hope you guys enjoy it! Please read and review! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, it belongs to Warner Bro's, Cartoon Network, DC Comics, yada, yada, yada….**

It had been a couple of months after defeating the Brotherhood of Evil that Jericho was contacted by the Titans again.

After the Brotherhood of Evil's ultimate destruction, the Titans had gone back to Jump City for a little celebration. After a quick battle with the notorious Doctor Light, the Titans stayed at Titan's Tower for a couple of days before heading their separate ways. Jericho didn't really make much of it, being a mute and all. He of course listened to others stories and jokes, but he could never reply. No, all he could ever do was listen.

He could tell that the other Titans didn't think much of him, often glancing over to him every once and awhile, asking if he would like to join in their conversation. Sometimes he would nod his head, but most of the time a politely declined and headed to his temporary room to play guitar. The only person he would ever really talk to was Herald. He didn't know how it worked, but Herald understood everything that went on in Jericho's mind without having to elaborate much. It was nice to have a friend who understood him, but Herald had a voice of his own and liked to share it with other Titans in conversation, not to the mute who could only write things down and nod his head. It's not that he didn't like the other Titans, he was really fond of them all, it was just that he didn't feel like he belonged.

In a group of teenage superheroes with outrageous costumes, amazing powers, and dark pasts, he didn't feel like he belonged.

That is, until he met her.

Her being Kole.

He hadn't really taken notice of her before, all he knew was that she always lingered by the caveman named Gnarrk. Then one day Kole stated that Gnarrk had went back to the Arctic because he wasn't feeling too well around all of the technology. She then said that she would probably be heading back soon to make sure he was okay.

He didn't know how it happened, but it did. One thing lead to another, and the next thing he knew, Kole was one of his best friends. He always enjoyed listening to her talk, she had enough conversation for the both of them. He often serenaded her with his guitar, letting his music become his voice. Jericho also helped Kole learn a bit of sign language so that he wouldn't have to write all of his thoughts down on paper. He wasn't sure why, but he felt connected to Kole as if he had known her his whole life instead of a short week.

He dreaded the day when everyone began to depart from Titan's Tower. Robin announced that he would soon be placing everyone into teams all around the globe to help the ever-growing crime rate. Until then though, everyone received a new Communicator to receive the call on. Kole had asked him if he wanted to go to the Arctic with her, but Jericho politely declined, not being a fan of the cold weather himself. He didn't want to see Kole leave, but at least he was comforted with the thought of them being on the same team. So he went back to Tibet, back to the animals and thick vegetation and peace. He would sometimes video-chat with Kole over the Communicator, but the signal was bad and would often break up. Not a day went by that he didn't think about something related to Kole. Her big, round navy blue eyes. That perfect, bubblegum pink hair. The way her nose crinkled slightly when she laughed. Oh, Jericho loved the sound she would make when she laughed. And above all, her smile. The smile that made everything seem okay. The smile that let him know she was the girl for him.

She just didn't know it yet.

Another thought also occurred while on his mountain. He was a skilled fighter when he had to be, but was fighting-crime really his destiny? He didn't like to harm anyone and tried to avoid violence, instead taking on the role of the listener. He would much rather converse with a villain than fight one. Sure, they were bad, but doesn't everyone deserve a second chance? He always went under the motto Flight Before Fight, which seemed to work on numerous occasions, but that often made him appear weak in the eyes of the Titans. He wasn't weak, but the other Titans just didn't understand his beliefs, like how Beat Boy never eats meat. They seem to respect him on that topic, even if they make a few sly remarks about him being a vegetarian. He was scared that they wouldn't accept him for who he is, and if he was put on a team, Jericho would surely struggle at putting down villains. But then again, he had been apart of the Brotherhood of Evil's downfall.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of waiting, he was contacted by the Titans.

But not for the reason he expected.

"Beast Boy to Jericho, come in Jericho…Jericho?" Jericho heard the changeling repeat his name through the T-Communicator. He scrambled to dig it out of his pocket and turned the video-chat on. In an instant, Beast Boy's face lit up the screen, a little too close for comfort.

"Jericho! Dude why didn't you answer?" Beast Boy asked as if he were serious. Jericho narrowed his eyes at the green boy. Beast Boy let out a little yelp, as if realizing something. He uncomfortably scratched the back of his neck and replied, "Heh, sorry about that, but I haven't seen you in three months!"

Jericho rolled his eyes, but was happy to see Beast Boy after so long. He raised his eyebrows, wondering what news he had for him.

"Oh, right!" Beast Boy exclaimed after figuring out what Jericho was asking. "Well, since it's close to Halloween, the mayor of Jump City invited us to some shin-dig at the capitol, like a costume party, and he's asking that all Honorary Titans go to it." Jericho's eyes widened in surprise. A costume party? He hadn't been to a party, yet alone celebrate Halloween in a long time.

Beast Boy broke his train of thought. "It'd also be wise to bring a date, but don't worry dude, girls dig the guitar-playing-harmless-blonde types, so you're in luck." He grinned at him, making his cheeks flush red in embarrassment. A date? He needed a date? Who would he bring? He knew the obvious answer was Kole, but he didn't know if he had the courage to ask her. He was afraid of rejection. After all, he hadn't explicitly stated to Kole that he liked her, and he couldn't exactly ask her. Jericho then thought about the other Titans. Who would they bring? What if one of them asked Kole before he could?

After a moment of trauma, he raised his eyebrows in a goofy fashion at Beast Boy, hoping he would understand what he was trying to ask. "Who am I bringing?" Beast Boy asked for confirmation. Jericho nodded. "Uh-well…the thing is…it's…she…um…" Beast Boy scrambled to find the right words. "I haven't asked anyone yet, but I was thinking of asking…" He paused and flinched a little, wondering how Jericho would react. It wasn't in Beast Boy's demeanor to act this paranoid about a girl.

"…asking Raven," He finished, then ducked down from the Communicator so he couldn't be seen. He almost sounded ashamed when he said her name, as if the biggest secret in the world had leaked out. Jericho grabbed his guitar and strummed a couple of chords, trying to get his attention. When Beast Boy's face finally appeared back on the screen, Jericho gave a small shrug and grinned at him.

"So…you don't think it's a bad idea?" Beast Boy asked him. Jericho shook his head no. In fact, he didn't think of it as a bad idea at all. It was nice to see growing relationships between the Titans because it just strengthened their bond as a team. If Beast Boy really did like Raven in that way, then why not go for it?

"Thanks dude," Beast Boy grinned wildly. "I wonder who everyone else is gonna go with, what about you?"

Well, Jericho knew who he was going with, but wasn't sure if he should tell Beast Boy or let it be a surprise. He decided that Kole should know first before anyone else so he merely shrugged. "Don't worry dude, some amazing girl will definitely fall for you."

Jericho hoped she did.

"I let Herald know to give you a ride to Titan's Tower, so he should be there before you know it." Beast Boy added, then a loud noise erupted from the video-chat, as if something had just crashed. Beast Boy looked over his shoulder and with a terrified look exclaimed, "Silkie, no! Those are my limited-edition _Clash of the Planets_ underwear! Dude! Give them back!" The screen became static, but Jericho could hear several grunts as Beast Boy fought for the underwear. The screen didn't flick back on, but he heard Beast Boy say, "Gotta go! We'll catch up later-SILKIE! No man! Not my limited-edition _Clash of the Planets_ bobble head! Anything but that! Sil-" But he was cut off short by the Communicator ending the call. Jericho stifled one of his mute laughs. He sure missed the changeling's humor.

The sound of a trumpet blowing caught Jericho off guard. He turned to find Herald stepping out of a portal. He proceeded to play a couple of jazzy, upbeat notes on his trumpet. Jericho waved in his direction, eyes widening at the sight of his friend.

"And just when I thought your eyes couldn't get any bigger," Herald stated in a rusty, laid-back voice. Herald clasped his hand on Jericho's shoulder and gave him a half-hug. "So, what's been going on man?" Jericho merely pointed to his guitar, then gestured with his hands at the beautiful scenery. "Figures, you haven't changed a bit. I don't mean to sound rushed man, but you ready to go? I still have to figure out what I'm gonna wear to this party." Jericho couldn't have agreed more. He placed his guitar into a case and motioned for him to proceed. Herald blew a soft note into his horn, which opened up a portal to Jump City. With one final look at his mountain, Jericho strided into the portal with a new found confidence.

He was going to ask Kole out.

He was going to do it.

**Author's Note: So, what do you think? I'm pretty satisfied with it, considering I developed a decent plot and began writing in less than two hours! This isn't going to be very long, maybe just two or three chapters, so I guess it's like a one-shot. More is to come, but I don't have a specific update date, however you will have the next chapter in at least a week at the LATEST. Thanks so much for taking the time to read this!**

**~TheBeatles141**


	2. The Response

For the next hour, Jericho found himself in a spooky Halloween store with Herald, trying on different assortments for the party. He wasn't sure what he should go as, or if Kole would like it. He tried on a variety of costumes: a ghost, a pirate, a lake monster, a prince, a doctor, a knight, and a cowboy, but none seemed to speak to him. He knew that it was ridiculous since the whole point of a costume party is to be someone besides yourself, but he wanted to impress Kole.

"I think wearing a costume is pointless man," Herald stated while searching through a rack of costumes. "I mean, we wear costumes on a daily basis to hide our secret identity, shouldn't we just go as ourselves?" Jericho nodded in agreement. He was getting tired of looking at costume after costume, but he knew that Kole was all about the spirit of the holidays, and she would probably wear one of the best looking costumes out there.

"I'll tell you one thing though, my horn ain't blowing to any of these-" He pointed to a bunny costume, then a monk one. "I'm just not feeling it." Neither was Jericho, and he didn't feel like investigating another Halloween store, the place gave him the creeps. Spider webs were lining the walls, fake blood was splattered everywhere, there was spooky mist around every corner, and the people that worked here looked like death itself. He wasn't sure what to expect when he arrived, but the place looked the exact opposite of Tibet. He was expecting a guy with an axe to confront them at any moment, or maybe a lady who just broke out of prison.

He knew that he needed a costume, but maybe he could find one at Titan's Tower. Either way, he was not going to spend another second in that store. He tapped Herald's shoulder, then motioned toward the door.

"Been thinking the exact same thing, let's get outta here."

(~ ~ ~)

"What do you mean 'you don't have a costume?'" Robin asked the two when they arrived at Titan's Tower. Jericho was a bit surprised, he thought Robin wouldn't be on board with the idea of a party to begin with. As if sensing Jericho's thoughts, Robin quickly added, "Look, I'm not happy about it either, but if the mayor wants to throw a get together for us, then we should at least abide by his rules." Something lingered in the back of Jericho's mind. Starfire probably put the leader's mind up to this. How else would he be so nonchalant about going to a party?

"Dudes! Check this out!" Jericho heard a familiar voice say. He and the other Titans turned to find a monstrous creature stand before them. Long, mossy vines concealed the foe and a stench allured from it. Crimson colored eyes poked out from what Jericho assumed was the head. The entire body was hunched in such an odd position.

Suddenly, a hand stuck out from under the costume and pulled it upward, revealing Beast Boy. "Like my costume? It's from _It Came From Jones Lake_!" Robin's face scrunched up at the smell and Herald held his hands up to his nose in disgust. Jericho merely continued to stare at the odd costume.

Cyborg entered the room and with one sniff exclaimed, "Two words! _Air_..._freshener_!" With that, he opened up the fridge in search of something to put his mind to ease.

"How did you even get it to smell like that?" Robin asked while trying to gain his composure back.

Beast Boy looked dumbfounded at the sight of his friends gasping for air. He quickly took a whiff of his costume, but seemed un-phased by it's effect. He took on the form of a dog to enhance his senses. This time, he inhaled deeply and wrinkled his nose in disgust. He fell to the ground and whimpered at the smell, almost as if he was playing dead.

The changeling reverted back to his original form and while still on the ground, sheepishly mumbled, "It's been in my closet for a couple of months."

"You might want to rethink your costume," Robin stated with a grin. Robin and Herald exchanged a quick glance before the two began cracking up. Jericho couldn't help but smile at the sight of Beast Boy.

Other Titans soon began to arrive at the complex. Robin hurried off to greet the others. Jericho still wasn't sure what he should do about his costume problem.

"Friend Jericho! It is marvelous to see you again!" Starfire exclaimed at the end of the hallway. She seemed to be dragging something behind her, but he couldn't tell _what_ or _who_ it was. She whispered, "Friend Raven! Friend Jericho would like to greet you!"

Jericho heard Raven talk, but still couldn't see her. "You are not dragging me out there looking like this." With that, he saw Raven just as she phased through the floor and out of sight. However, he couldn't see what she had been wearing.

Starfire heaved a sigh. "Raven is just upset at the 'girl time' we have had. I gave her the complete 'making-over' for the festival we are to attend. It seems that she is not very fond of what I have done to her." Jericho sympathetically patted her back.

Jericho looked off in the direction of newcomers and saw beautiful blue eyes meet his green ones. With a quick glance in Starfire's direction, he scurried away to meet with Kole. The closer he got, the bigger her smile became. Jericho started to feel nervous at the sight of her. He had to ask her now before anyone else would.

He approached her with a wave, but she took two steps forward and embraced him affectionately. He slowly wrapped his arms around her, trying very hard not to blush. He wanted to contain the smile that was spreading across his face, but knew that it wouldn't go away. Not with her being around him. He thought about how ridiculous he must've looked right now, as if he was struck by cupid's arrow.

Reluctantly, he parted from her, but kept his hands on her shoulders for just a moment before letting go completely.

"Jericho, it's so good to see you," Kole sheepishly stated with a small smile.

_It's good to see you too_, Jericho signed back. _Listen, Kole, I've been wanting to ask you something._

"Really? What is it?" Kole asked.

Jericho's heartbeat rapidly sped-up and his hands became sweaty. He quickly wiped his hands on his pants, but fumbled with his hands to find the right words.

_You…can…want…go…me? _

Kole looked at his hands in confusion.

_Wait! That's not what I meant!_ Jericho quickly signed to her. He thought he must sound like a complete idiot to her right now. Why couldn't he do this? Why was it so hard for him to sign a simple phrase? He took a deep breath to try and calm his nerves.

"Jericho? Is something wrong?" Kole asked with a look of worry.

He could do it. He needed to do it.

He signed the ten simple words. _Do you want to go to the party with me?_

Her eyes lit up in surprise, then disappointment. "Oh, Jericho…I don't know what to say…"

She took in a deep breath. "I'd love to, I really would. It's just that…someone else already asked me and I said yes."

Jericho didn't realize that he was holding his breath until he exhaled. For some odd reason, he didn't take the news like he thought it would. He knew rejection was a possibility, but for her to confirm it just made him stare like a doe caught in the headlights of a moving vehicle.

Rather than dwell in the thought of him just being rejected, he asked, _Who?_

She bit down on her lip. "If it makes you feel any better, I only accepted because he would have a terrible time without me."

Jericho creased his eyebrows in concentration, trying to put two-and-two together.

"It was Gnarrk, Jericho. Gnarrk asked me to go with him." Kole finally stated.

Gnarrk? As in, the _caveman_ Gnarrk? Jericho was quite baffled by her response. He had forgotten that Gnarrk was also an honorary Titan. It made sense though, since Kole had been Gnarrk's friend for quite some time. He wasn't exactly sure how to feel.

Suddenly, Starfire flew over to the both of them. Her eyes were lit up in excitement. "I have the most glorious idea friend Jericho! Since you do not have appropriate clothing for the festival, may I perhaps give you the 'making-over'?" Jericho stared in amusement. He wasn't exactly sure if it was a good idea or not, but he did need a costume for the party. He slowly nodded, which made Starfire squeal in response. "What wonderful news! Come quickly friend!" With that, she grabbed onto Jericho's wrist and hauled him away from Kole with extreme force, almost making him fly into the air like a rag doll. He didn't even have time to think as Starfire guided him through the hallways to her room.

Throughout the entire process, Starfire made him try on numerous costumes ranging from a grizzly bear suit to a king. He didn't even know where she had gotten all of the costumes to begin with. By the end of it, Jericho wasn't even sure what he was wearing. He was too distracted by Kole's words to think about anything else. His mind felt numb.

"You are finished friend Jericho!" Starfire happily announced to him. It wasn't until he turned to the mirror to look at himself that he knew what he was going to the party as.

He felt ridiculous.

**YAY! The chapter is finished! I know I've said this so many times and you've probably heard it from a million other authors, but please REVIEW! The longer the review, the more it makes me happy and bursting with knew ideas for another story! Seriously, reviews put my mind on over-drive!**

**~TheBeatles141**


	3. The Entrance

**Sorry for waiting so long for the update! I've been a bit busy with cousins and family lately, but all is well! That is, almost well besides the fact that I'm about to start high school in less than three weeks! AHHHH! Sorry, but I just felt the need to tell my few viewers about it, it's very nerve-wrecking! But to those few (you know who you are) that have reviewed, YOU GUYS ROCK! Seriously, thanks so much for the polite, funny comments that make my day! I cannot thank you enough for your support, but please accept my gift of friendship (I know, that's pretty lame isn't it?). I'm actually following a few of your stories, so I'll make sure to return the favor and review yours!**

**I'm babbling, aren't I? Sorry about that, but I get so caught up in the moment *wipes tear away*. For those of you who have read this extremely long Author's Note, I thank you! For those who did not, AZARATH METRION ZINTHOS! Haha I feel like a lunatic talking to myself in an insane asylum!**

**Okay, now I'm getting carried away. Without further adieu (A dew? Adew? Adeu?), may I present the final chapter of **_**Speaking For the Very First Time**_**! (Oh, and please REVIEW!)**

Jericho felt ridiculous.

He knew that he felt ridiculous, and he knew that he looked ridiculous.

He also knew that the other Titans would most likely laugh at the sight of him.

Despite knowing all of this though, he still had a duty to the mayor, and he didn't want to hurt Starfire's feelings just because he wasn't comfortable with the costume she had spent all her time constructing.

So, he went to the party.

Looking like the abomination he was.

(~ ~ ~)

"I have never been to a...what did you call it?" Starfire asked as she stood beside Jericho in front of Jump City's town hall. The place was enormous, with copper-embedded gems scattered across pillars that held the building together. The pathway that led to the front door was made out of marble, and numerous types of flowers were planted on either side of it. The double doors were crimson in color, and shined like a recently-polished wine glass.

_Costume Party,_ Jericho mouthed the words to her.

"Ah, yes! A Costume Party! It does seem like fun though, and I am sure we are to have a marvelous time!" She clapped her hands together and spun around in her flamboyant costume. Starfire had coordinated her outfit to her favorite color, purple. She wore a purple, shimmering ball gown dress with gloves to match. Her hair was done up and she had on a golden tiara. Jericho had thought that she was going as a princess, but Starfire had claimed that she was going as a fairy tale character from a story she had heard as a child on Tamaran. Robin had asked her to the party and she had immediately accepted, but explained that she wanted to finish preparing Jericho's costume and that she would meet him there.

Robin stepped off of the R-Cycle and began to make his way to Starfire and Jericho at the front entrance. Starfire couldn't wait any longer and ran over to greet him, strangling him in a bone-crushing hug. Robin hadn't exactly played by his own rules, going to the party as a simple butler in a black tuxedo. His hair was the same and he still wore his mask. He didn't seem to want to take his eyes off of Starfire, but glanced in Jericho's direction for just a second. When he saw what he was wearing, he stood frozen with his mouth gaping open.

"I see that you have taken interest in Jericho's appearance! Do you like what I have done? I must say that he looks wonderful!" Starfire proudly exclaimed to Robin, appearing very satisfied with the results of her makeover.

"Jericho...you look-" Robin let out a small laugh, but quickly caught himself and gained back his composure. "-nice," he finished, noticing that Starfire looked confused by his reaction. Jericho's face turned red in embarrassment, wanting to be anywhere but here where Robin and his other fellow teammates could make fun of him. It was bad enough that he was mute.

Jericho motioned toward the door, wanting to get this over with as fast as humanly possible. Starfire linked arms with Robin, and the leader looked a little uneasy at the gesture. Jericho decided that he would hold the door for them, and while the attention of the other Titans was on their appearance, he would slip inside and greet the mayor before finding a hiding place to seek refuge in until the party was over. He couldn't let anyone else, especially Kole, see him like this. The trio showed the police officer who was standing by the door their invitations, and he gave them the OK to proceed.

Jericho did what he planned and opened the door for the duo. A spotlight suddenly appeared on the couple as they walked down the steps. Some of the Titans whistled and cheered at the pair. Robin led Starfire over to the mayor of Jump City where they began conversing. The spotlight diminished, and everyone went back to their business. Halloween decorations were scattered across the walls and floors of the gigantic room. Tables were spread across the sides of the walls, along with endless amounts of Halloween-inspired foods. Directly in the center was a DJ table and a space big enough to dance in.

The scenery looked as if he was reliving his past life, where he would often attend parties with his family because of his father's important military stature. He would mingle with other guests and sometimes even dance with his siblings. To Jericho, that memory seemed to have happened ages ago even though he had only been alive for fifteen years.

Someone tapped Jericho's shoulder, snapping him out of his thoughts and making him jump. He whipped around to find Beast Boy staring wide-eyed at his appearance. The changeling had on a Count Dracula costume with a black bow tie and a cape to match. His hair was slicked back and his toothy grin seemed to be emphasized by him wearing fake teeth. Jericho guessed that Beast Boy had taken Robin's advice and changed his costume into that of a vampire.

"Jericho? Dude is that really you?" Beast Boy asked at the sight of him. Jericho let out a deep breath and nodded, ready to be ridiculed to an eternity. He merely continued staring at him, making him feel slightly uncomfortable.

"You look...different," Beast Boy finally managed to get out.

"Yo BB! Can you give me a hand? Your girlfriend doesn't wanna get out of the T-Car!" Cyborg yelled from the T-Car. Beast Boy let out a little cry of surprise at the word "girlfriend". Jericho guessed that Beast Boy really did ask Raven to the party, and somehow had convinced her to go even though it wasn't her type of thing. Cyborg continued to struggle at getting Raven out, but a blast of black energy soon sent him flying twenty feet into the air. He landed harshly on the ground in front of Jericho. He glanced up and met Jericho's eyes. Cyborg was wearing a poncho with multiple zigzags patterned across the front of it and a sombrero. With a look of shock, he slowly stood up and said, "Wait a minute...is that, Jericho?"

Jericho pressed the palm of his hand to his forehead in frustration. Cyborg looked taken aback by the gesture. He glanced over at Beast Boy, who was unsuccessfully trying to suppress a chuckle from escaping his voice box. Cyborg soon stifled his own urge to burst out into laughter.

Jericho couldn't stand the embarrassment anymore and began to march away from the two. Cyborg quickly slapped his hand onto Jericho's shoulder, pulling him back. "I've got an idea!" He practically hoisted Jericho onto his shoulders as he ran over to the T-Car, Beast Boy close at his heels. He plopped Jericho down before he could even react and knocked on the door.

"I won't hesitate to blast you all the way to Azarath this time, Cyborg. I told you I'm not going out there. This was a mistake." Raven coldly stated from inside.

"Not even for your boyfriend?" Cyborg coolly asked with a mischievous expression. He soon regretted the comment as a large black claw emerged from the car and enveloped him, practically squeezing the daylight out of him.

"Raven, stop!" Beast Boy insisted as Cyborg's eyes began to bulge out of their sockets. The claw paused for a moment, as if deciding to give in to Beast Boy's commands. It finally let go of Cyborg and vaporized into nothingness. Cyborg fell to the ground, wheezing while trying to fill his lungs with much needed oxygen.

"Don't you think that was a little, I don't know, harsh?" Cyborg asked in a serious tone once he had gained back his composure.

"I did warn you, didn't I?" Raven replied, more of a statement than a question.

"Cyborg rolled his eyes. "Listen Raven, if you won't come out, we're coming in."

"A tin man in a sombrero and Count Dorkula, I'm so scared," Raven sarcastically replied. Beast Boy didn't seem to be affected by the comment.

"And Jericho," Cyborg added. "C'mon Rae, it's just a Costume Party. We all look ridiculous, but that's the point." Cyborg persisted. Jericho slightly nodded at the comment even though Raven couldn't see him. Maybe Cyborg was right. Maybe there wasn't anything to be ashamed of after all.

But then again, Kole was in there, and he didn't want to be humiliated in front of her. Not this time.

Raven seemed to ponder Cyborg's reasoning. Cyborg's expression changed back into a cruel smile. "And you really should see what Jericho's wearing." Jericho frowned and narrowed his eyes at Cyborg.

"Yeah Raven! You'll feel much better," Beast Boy chimed in. The two looked like they couldn't contain their excitement for much longer.

"No," Raven simply replied.

"Looks like we're gonna have to do this the hard way," Cyborg decided as he playfully cracked his knuckles. Without warning, he swung the door open to reveal Raven. She was wearing a queen's attire that greatly resembled that of playing cards. Tiny red hearts were scattered across her dress that only reached her mid-thighs. The bottom portion of the dress had a tutu-like fabric that was dyed black and red. The sleeves were puffy and cut off at the shoulders. She wore white stockings that also had red hearts on them. The last piece was a golden crown with crimson colored gems that was placed slightly crooked across her head. So this was what Starfire had done to her.

With the murderous look she was wearing, she appeared like the Queen of Hearts herself.

With one wicked glare in Cyborg's direction, she proclaimed, "_Off with your head."_

**Haha I totally lied to you guys! You should've seen the look on your faces! Sorry, but I just felt like that was a good stopping point to leave you hanging, plus I felt really bad that I haven't updated in awhile. I know you guys are dying to find out what Jericho is, but rest assured, you'll find out during the next chapter! I promise that I won't take as long as last time to update, and that it will in fact be the final chapter. Thanks so much! Please give me a review!**

**~TheBeatles141**


	4. The Party

**Okay, I lied to you guys yet again, but this chapter is pretty long and needed to be cut short. So, I will have one additional chapter following this one soon. I thought this story was going to be much shorter than I originally anticipated, but I now realize that you really can't calculate your story length beforehand. What was originally a one-shot turned into a multi-chapter experience. I'm quite proud of myself actually.**

**Sorry to say, but you won't find out what Jericho is until the next chapter. To be honest, I'm still not sure what Starfire should've done to him. If you have any ideas of what you'd like to see Jericho as, please say so in your review so I can get an idea of what the readers want, and might even come up with something on my own!**

**Oh, and I just finished the game **_**The Last Of Us**_**, (on the ps3) and am feeling satisfied yet empty at the same time. If you want my full opinion, visit my profile page :)**

Raven's murderous expression remained on her face as she stepped out of the car. Jericho glanced at Beast Boy and Cyborg, wondering how they should approach the situation. Raven couldn't have been serious about actually beheading Cyborg, could she?

"Um...uh...," Cyborg nervously stuttered as he took several fleeting steps back. He frantically said, "L-let's think this through Raven! You wouldn't wanna do something that you'd regret, right?"

"What's there to regret." Raven stated in an icy whisper. Her eyes were like daggers, piercing through anything that stood in the way of her intended target.

"W-wait!" Cyborg suddenly exclaimed, then took a bold step forward. He let out an uncomfortable laugh and stated, "Don't you think Jericho looks hilarious?" Jericho's moment of fear vaporized at the sound of Cyborg trying to divert Raven's attention onto him. Instead of fearing for his life, he glared at Cyborg. Jericho wasn't one to stay angry at someone for very long, it just wasn't in his nature, but the tin man was seriously asking for trouble by making yet another remark about his attire.

"I'm. Not. Laughing," Raven stated in a voice so cruel you would think Trigon was talking. "Maybe you'd like to go through Starfire's makeover like Jericho and I have? But this time, I'll be the one doing the 'making over.'" She held her fist into the air, which was engulfed by her black energy, clearly ready to give Cyborg a complete makeover.

"R-Rae? W-why don't we just go back to the Tower? T-that sounds like a good idea! I'll even make you some of that tea you like, m-my treat!" Beast Boy hastily asked her with pleading eyes.

"I'm afraid I have some unfinished business to take care of," Raven declined the offer and took a step forward with her balled up fist, causing Cyborg to leap behind Jericho and shove him forward, using him as a human shield.

"C'mon Raven, you wouldn't really hurt your teammate, would you?" Cyborg reasoned while cowering behind Jericho.

"I'd never seriously injure my friends," Raven stated dryly, "Without a proper reason to do so!" With that, her eyes turned white and she yelled the words, "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" Her black energy propelled out of her fist, aiming directly at Jericho and Cyborg. Cyborg grabbed Jericho by the shoulders and barely dodged the attack, leaving a small patch of grass burnt by Raven's powers. She levitated above the ground and began to entomb any inanimate object within reach with her powers. Street lights, mailboxes, cars, and gravel floated into the sky around Raven who stood ready to unleash the attack. It didn't seem like Jericho or any of the others could reason with her. The objects began to whip around Raven like a tornado.

"Looks like this is it man!" Cyborg yelled to Beast Boy. "If I don't make it out of this, I want ya to know that you've always been like the brother I never had! An annoying, pointy-eared, green-skinned-freak of a brother!"

"Ditto!" Beast Boy replied back. "But not in the annoying, pointy-eared, green-skinned- freak kind of way!" He looked over to where Jericho was standing. "Jericho! You were always my favorite! Tell me when it's over!" With that, he shifted into a turtle and hid in his shell. Cyborg had decided to cower behind the flagpole.

The gust of wind picked up as the tornado of objects spun at an alarming rate. Jericho wasn't sure what his next move should be. All he knew was that he was in a life or death situation. Jericho had always heard stories of Raven's temper, but to experience the wrath of her uncontained rage was a whole different story.

Raven pushed her hands out in front of her, causing the items to rush forward almost as fast as the speed of light, heading straight toward Cyborg. His red eye seemed to bulge from it's mechanical socket as the objects made their way to their intended target. There was no way that he could dodge it in time, unless...

Jericho had to act fast.

No matter how much he didn't want to do it, he had to act fast.

Jericho charged forward and stepped on Beast Boy's shell, causing him to cry out in pain and shift back into his normal state. Jericho was clutching his back, almost sitting on his shoulders. "Dude! What the- get off me!" Beast Boy then shifted into a bull and tried to shake him off, bucking wildly in all directions. This was exactly what Jericho had hoped he would do. Jericho held onto the bull's horns for dear life. He just had to let go at the right moment.

In a split second, Jericho kicked Beast Boy on the side, causing him to launch Jericho into the air by the impact. If he could scream, he would as he was pelted into the sky, heading directly towards Raven. All it took was one glance from her before he collided into her. Not physically, but mentally. Her violet eyes were replaced by Jericho's green ones. Jericho found himself inside the body of Raven, absorbing all of her memories in an instant: glimpses of Azarath, Trigon, her being the portal, the end of the world, the Teen Titans. Those were just some of the memories he experienced. It was like he had become Raven and was now reliving all of her memories in the blink of an eye.

The objects that were heading toward Cyborg suddenly screeched to a halt, then clattered to the ground. He found himself falling, slowly getting closer to the ground without anything to stop him. It was as if time had stopped for a moment, letting him savor every millisecond and weigh his options. Then he remembered the memory he picked up when going through Raven's life, how to control her powers.

He tried to clasp onto the memory, grasping any knowledge on how to use her levitation abilities before he hit the ground. He remembered that her powers were based on emotion, but wasn't sure how to use that to his advantage. What did he have to feel in order to fly? He wished that he could've experienced a memory where Raven was flying so that he could get a feel of her emotions.

The ground became ever more apparent as he plunged closer to his awaiting death, merely a few feet away from him. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a large, green vulture soaring towards him. In an instant, the vulture snatched him up just as he was about to make contact with the ground. The vulture hovered Jericho about three feet above the ground before relaxing his talons, thus dropping the mute boy. He landed a bit too harshly, tripping over himself a couple of times before coming to a complete stop. The vulture reverted back to Beast Boy and with a smirk, said, "Next time, let me know what you're about to do _before_ you decide to jump on my back!"

"That was just plain genius! You saved us Jericho, and now you're inside Raven's body!" Cyborg proudly exclaimed as he came over to give Jericho a bear hug. His eyes bulged out of his sockets as he fearfully exclaimed, "_YOU'RE INSIDE RAVEN'S BODY_! Do you have any idea what she's gonna do when you get out of her? It's gonna be worse than what she was about to do to us, ten times worse! Oh man, oh man, oh man!" Cyborg began pacing around the perimeter with his hands on his head, going on about what she would do and the worst case scenarios that were possible.

"Maybe I should've thought this through," Jericho admitted by using Raven's voice. He hated to admit it, but it felt nice to have a functional voice box even though he was in another person's body.

"Whoa, dude you sound weird as Raven," Beast Boy acknowledged Raven's voice as he shivered. "It's kinda creepy."

"I know. Being in a girl's body is...different." Jericho replied as he felt a blush creep up onto his face.

"Hey, wait a second! I was supposed to bring Raven to this party! How am I supposed to when you're inside of her?"

"Well, I could just get out-"

"No! She probably hasn't cooled off yet. Can...can she hear us?"

"No. When I enter somebody's body, they go into an unrealistic state as if they're dreaming. When I exit their body, they become unconscious for a little bit." Jericho stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Raven's gonna kill us when she gets out! And I didn't even get to dance with you-er, I mean, her. Man, this is confusing when you're inside of her body..." Beast Boy sadly acknowledged as he hung his head low in disappointment.

Jericho didn't know how to respond. On the bright side, nobody could see his horrific costume while inside of Raven, but on the other, Beast Boy couldn't get to be with the girl he was crazy for. It must've taken guts to ask her out and drag her here in the first place, but now he wouldn't even get the chance to dance with her. Not while Jericho was still inside of her. He couldn't hide inside Raven, it wasn't fair to Beast Boy and it wasn't right for Jericho to be doing so in the first place. He needed to think up a plan to get out of Raven's body without anyone seeing him, plus make sure that she wouldn't get angry when she awoke.

"Would Raven ever show her anger in front of, I don't know, say a political figure?" Jericho suddenly asked Beast Boy.

Beast Boy looked up in surprise, then contemplated his question. "I don't think she would. She knows how to act when she's around important people."

"Well, I think we've found the solution to our problem," Jericho stated with a wide smile.

"Wait, what?" Beast Boy asked, then stared at Jericho's complexion. "I've never seen Raven smile like that before...or smile at all..."

(~ ~ ~)

"Say WHAT? Do you know how many ways this plan of yours could go wrong?" Cyborg insisted as the three of them stood outside of the front doors.

"I know it's risky, but I got us into this mess, and I'm going to get us out of it." Jericho reasoned with him.

Cyborg let out a groan, obviously not feeling reassured by Jericho's plan. Beast Boy took his defense. "C'mon dude, we have to try something. Worst comes to worst, I'll sweet talk her. The ladies love pointy ears." He stated as he wiggled his eyebrows and gestured toward his ears.

"Oh yeah, 'cause that worked so well the first time..." Cyborg countered as he crossed his arms.

"Just follow my lead," Jericho instructed, then hesitantly linked his- or Raven's- arm with Beast Boy's.

"Aw, ain't you two just the lovebirds of the season!" Cyborg stated as he began to crack up. "Where's a camera when I need one?"

"Heh, this isn't half bad," Beast Boy chuckled as he straightened his posture. "Everyone just needs to believe that you're Raven so that they won't find out about...this entire mess. Should be a piece of cake."

"Ladies first," Cyborg calmly stated with a grin as he opened the door for the two. Music erupted through the speakers as they stepped into the ballroom. They began to walk down the steps, everything going according to the plan, when suddenly-

"Look, it's Beast Boy and Raven!" Jericho heard someone shout from behind them. Cyborg. The whole point was not to draw attention, but obviously Cyborg wanted to have some fun with the situation he was put in. He knew that the real Raven would've done exactly what he was doing, blushing like there was no tomorrow.

"Why is Cyborg doing this?" Jericho asked under his breath.

"Well..." Beast Boy uneasily replied while scratching the back of his neck. He then retold the story of how he kind of ruined Cyborg's chances to ask Bumblebee to the party. He didn't seem to dwell on it too long though, skipping over most of the details. All he knew now was that Bumblebee was accompanied by Herald.

And now Cyborg was getting his revenge.

A crowd of Titans began to swarm the two, some making sly remarks, others grinning wildly at the pair. If he had Raven's hood, he would've covered his face by now. Only a few remarks stood out as they continued walking down the steps.

"Raven's actually at a party?"

"Look at the two of them! I always knew that they would get together!"

"Raven's in a dress? Did I miss something?"

"Nice costume BB!"

"Looking good Rae! I can't believe you actually got dressed up for this thing!"

"I knew you had it in you to ask her out!"

More compliments were thrown their way as they uneasily made their way through the crowd. Jericho couldn't help but feel embarrassed at all the attention he- or Raven- was getting. He was always the Titan standing in the back, nobody really seeming to care about his absence from a group. That is, until he met Kole.

Jericho sighed, wondering if Kole was in the swarm of Titans, or off with Gnarrk. It's not like he had anything against the guy, after all he was from the prehistoric ages. It was just that he hadn't expected the caveman to come in the first place, what with their being numerous amounts of technology that he probably wasn't aware of. Jericho wasn't usually the jealous type, but when it came to Kole, he would fight until the very end to win the girl's heart. She meant the world to him.

"Well, at least this can't get any worse?" Beast Boy suggested as Jericho snapped back to his senses. Suddenly, a single spotlight showered onto the two of them, causing the other Titans to back away in excitement. Jericho held his hand up to the light and squinted his eyes in surprise. What was going on?

"Here's to all you lovebirds out there," Cyborg coolly stated to the group while standing behind the DJ table. With a flick of a switch, a slow song began to play. Cyborg grinned wildly as he dimmed the lights, making the bright light above them stand out even more.

"Dance, dance, dance!" Some of the Titans whispered in unison towards the duo.

"Cyborg must be having a blast," Beast Boy muttered while glaring at Cyborg.

"As long as he sticks to the plan, we should be okay," Jericho replied, but didn't feel reassured whatsoever.

"Looks like he's got other plans," Beast Boy countered.

"Dance, dance, dance!" Their demands seemed to get louder with every beat of music. Beast Boy and Jericho both turned red at the situation they were put in. All of this peer pressure was getting them nowhere.

Beast Boy uneasily met eyes with Jericho and said, "Uh, well this just got worse. What should we do?"

As much as Jericho didn't want to, and he _really _didn't want to, the Titans would never leave them alone without the two at least dancing together. He figured once they did that, everyone would go back to their usual business. Without replying to the changeling's question, he reluctantly placed one hand on his shoulder, trying to create as much distance between them as possible. Beast Boy caught on and placed one hand on Jericho's waist, which made him blush even more, and the other with Jericho's free hand. At first, they both barely moved a centimeter while stuck in the position they were in, but eventually they slow danced together. The crowd seemed to diminish as other couples began slow dancing too. The spotlight eventually left them and moved onto the other couples on the dance floor.

Jericho let out a sigh in relief. "Do you think Cyborg has the mayor's attention yet?"

"I think he's working on it," Beast Boy replied as he gestured toward the DJ table. Cyborg was currently drinking punch and conversing with the mayor. It seemed that they only had to hold it out for a little longer until Cyborg brought the mayor over, then Jericho could-

The music changed, taking on a more romantic state of mind. Jericho felt like his entire face was the shade of crimson by now. Cyborg took the microphone from the current DJ and remarked, "Time for the Couple's Camera!"

"The Couple's Camera?" Jericho asked uneasily.

"The Couple's Camera..." Beast Boy repeated, looking as if he had been struck by lightning. A giant TV popped out from the wall just above the front doors. It immediately turned on, then broadcasted a live feed of the party. On the edges of the screen, there were hearts, arrows, and cupid.

The screen flicked to a live image of two Titans, Hot Spot and Argent. Hot Spot was dressed as a police officer and Argent was dressed as a dead bride. Her face was paler than usual and dark circles were traced around her eyes, giving her a zombie-like appearance. When the two realized that the camera was on them, all of the Titans chanted, "Kiss, kiss, kiss!" They glanced at each other uncertainly, but then Argent took a step forward and kissed him right on the lips. Hot Spot blushed as Argent let go of him and waved at the camera. Everyone cheered at the two, but then something Jericho wasn't expecting happened. The camera moved onto a different couple. This time, Herald and Bumblebee appeared on the screen.

It was official, Jericho hated the Couple's Camera.

With the position he was in, who knew how long it would take before the camera moved onto him and Beast Boy?

Cyborg fumed in anger at the sight of Herald kissing Bumblebee, and he knew that it wouldn't take long before Cyborg hacked into the camera and aimed it on them. Herald was wearing a magician costume, and Bumblebee appeared to be dressed as someone going to a masquerade. Her dress was a ballgown style that was a beige color, and she wore a mask to match the attire.

Jericho immediately let go of Beast boy, who was still positioned in their slow dance form. Beast Boy began to turn red, then exclaimed, "We gotta get outta here!" The two spun in opposite directions, ready to leave in a moment's notice, when-

The camera was positioned on the two of them.

Jericho glanced at the screen, hoping that it was just an illusion. The Titans began to chant, "Kiss, kiss, kiss!" He knew that it was over, that this was something Cyborg would never let go. His life was over, along with Beast Boy's.

Then again, he didn't have to kiss Beast boy, and he certainly didn't want to. The real Raven wouldn't, he knew that for a fact. Not with all of these people around. But he didn't want to make Raven appear as a coward if he turned on his heels and ran. If he jumped out of her body, everyone would see that he was controlling Raven, not to mention the ridiculous costume he had on. Time was running out and the two reluctantly faced each other, but Jericho swore that he wasn't going to be humiliated. Not in this sick, twisted way.

Without thinking, he jumped out of Raven's body and leaped into the nearest person who made eye contact with him. He found himself reliving strange memories, all that seemed to be linked with Kole. He saw her in practically every image, along with thick vegetation, caves, and...dinosaurs?

Realization hit his face as Jericho realized whose body he was now in control of.

He was Gnarrk.

**So as I've stated before, if you have any ideas of what Jericho should be (remember, Starfire was the one who dressed him up), please let me know in the comments. :)**


	5. The Realization

**Okay, first off, I'm really sorry you guys have had to wait so long for the final chapter. I officially started high school as of three weeks ago, and let me just say it's been crazy! For those of you who haven't gotten the chance to experience high school yet because you're too young or home schooled, I envy you! Never, ever, ever grow up! I really wish that I'd stop growing! Schoolwork, after school activities, homework, family, and writer's block have kept me at bay from my computer for three weeks now! That, and my brother recently went back to college and I wanted to spend as much time with him as possible before he left. To those of you who have stuck along for the ride, I cannot express how much that means to me.**

**I've had a great time writing this story for you guys, and I hope to bring you more fanfiction stories in the future.**

**And just letting you know, I went back and forth for a really long time, trying to decide what Starfire would put Jericho in. I really loved all of the great ideas, but I had an idea in mind for quite some time and I finally decided to stick with it. Also, I'm sorry I never PM all of my great reviewers and your wonderful costume ideas (shame on me!), I've just been really busy! But I did in fact read all of your fabulous reviews. After many debates with myself, I came up with this. Please don't hate me if it wasn't what you were expecting, Starfire decided to do something the exact opposite of Jericho, which was why all of the guys kept laughing at him. They couldn't imagine the sweet, caring boy that they knew dressed up as...well, you'll find out. If you don't like the idea, I could always change it (or not, just use your imagination and pretend that he's in the costume you picked out).**

**Now, onto the final chapter of **_**Speaking For the Very First Time...**_

Jericho had grown about six inches taller, had the physique of a star athlete, bore hairy arms, and was now in control of Kole's-best-friend's body without either of them realizing it.

Today just wasn't his day.

Of course, it _had _to be Gnarrk that Jericho locked eyes with. Apparently luck wasn't on his side.

While he was extremely glad that he didn't have to go through with _kissing _Beast Boy, he was now in a more worrisome state than before. If Kole found out that Jericho was in control of Gnarrk, what would become of him? Would she ever forgive him for doing such an inhumane thing? And of all people in the room, Kole was most protective over Gnarrk. The two were an inseparable pair who seemed to fit together almost as well as a puzzle.

Jericho could feel his- or Gnarrk's- hands begin to shake and sweat trickled down his neck. Whatever position he had gotten himself into, he had to find a way out of it.

"Gnarrk? Are you feeling okay?" Kole's voice broke Jericho out of his train of thought. He turned his head slightly to the right to meet her gaze.

She looked absolutely stunning.

Instead of her hair usually being down, it was pulled into a tight bun. She wore a strapless white dress that showed off her shoulders with navy blue stripes on the sides and a navy blue bow in the center. On the top of her head lay a white cap with an anchor stitched into the fabric. Kole appeared to be dressed up as a sailor.

That was the thing that amazed Jericho.

It was so simple, so basic, yet it completely blew him away that she could look so beautiful in something so ordinary.

The costume didn't stand out at all. The fact that Kole was _in_ the costume was what made it's overall appearance shine. She literally gleamed like a crystal. She was glistening with purity even though she wore a concerned expression.

Jericho then looked down at his own appearance. Gnarrk was dressed as an Indian Chief which surprisingly suited him well.

"Gnarrk?" she repeated, gently tugging on Jericho's arm to see if he was listening.

"Uh...Gnarrk?" Jericho uneasily replied, remembering that the caveman only used his name when conversing.

"I asked if everything was alright," Kole stated, raising an eyebrow in suspicion.

"Gnarrk!" Jericho quickly exclaimed while nodding his head a bit too enthusiastically.

"Uh, dudes? A little help here? I think Jeri- I mean, Raven, fainted!" Jericho heard Beast Boy exclaim as he struggled to support Raven who was currently cradled in his arms. Nobody seemed to catch Beast Boy's slight mess up. All of the Titans gasped at the sight of Raven; one minute, she was inches away from Beast Boy's lips and the next, she was lying on the floor, unconscious. Indistinct murmurs were heard as the crowd of Titans huddled closer together, worried for the dark empath. The Couple's Camera immediately turned off, followed by Cyborg ushering the mayor towards Beast Boy and an unconscious Queen of Hearts. It seemed that the plan was going off without a hitch. That is, if Raven reacted the way Jericho thought she would.

"Raven?" Beast Boy whispered as he lightly tapped her shoulder, expecting her to wake up at the slightest disturbance and start on a rampage.

"Uh...wakey wakey, Raven don't be angry?" Beast Boy tried, shaking her shoulder a little harder.

"I hope she's alright," Kole whispered to Jericho. It was then that he realized she had her arms draped around one of his, huddling close to his form with a look of worry. He tried not to blush and quickly turned back toward the scene.

Apparently Beast Boy had managed to gather an ounce of courage, because he let in a big gulp of air before pressing his lips against Raven's ear and yelling, "RAVEN!"

With that, Raven's eyes snapped open, her eyes filled with rage. It seemed that her hair was engulfed with purple flames as it rose from above her neck, swirling above her. Her uncontained rage was multiplied when she held up a hand of dark energy, pointing it directly at Beast Boy. With a tone so murderous it sent chills up Jericho's spine, she muttered under her breath, "Give me one good reason why your head shouldn't be mounted on a wall."

With that, Beast Boy let out a little yelp and scratched the back of his head, fear taking the place of what little courage he originally had mustered. Cyborg took a step forward and responded, "I think I can answer that." His face bore a small grin as Raven took her gaze away from Beast Boy and locked eyes with Cyborg. She then realized _who_ was standing next to him as her glare was soon replaced with a blank expression. The mayor was staring at her with uncertainty. She cleared her throat and smoothed the wrinkles from her dress as she stood up, trying her best not to falter or lose her composure. She then realized that all eyes were on her, and with all the effort she could muster, painfully let a smile play on her lips. "I thought this was a party," She quickly deadpanned while keeping the disturbing expression on her face. Whispers were shared and soon the music was turned back on, livelihood spreading throughout the dance floor as if it had never left.

"Gnarrk," Jericho quickly excused himself from Kole as he made his way over to Beast Boy, Cyborg, and Raven. While he didn't want to leave Kole, he was eager to find out what was going on through the empath's mind.

As soon as he made his way over, Raven held up a hand to silence any words that were about to escape from his mouth. Apparently she had figured out what Jericho had done and whose body he was currently in possession of. She turned to look each of them in the eyes before saying, "You all might think you're clever, but once this horror-fest is over, your worst nightmare won't even come close to what I'm going to put you through." with that, she stalked away from them, a familiar frown returning to her face.

"So...does this mean you don't want to dance?" Beast Boy called after her, but she ignored his request. Instead, he was met by a bowl of punch being hurled at him, encased by dark energy. The bowl hovered right above the boy before being tipped in the opposite direction, covering him from head-to-toe in a red liquid which contrasted greatly with his normal green demeanor.

Cyborg began to chuckle and patted Beast Boy on the back. "I guess Christmas came early this year."

"Aw man! And just when I thought she was warming up to me…" Beast Boy whimpered as he shape shifted into a dog. He shook his fur clean from the liquid, some of it splattering onto Cyborg and Jericho.

"Remind me next time to not include you in a plan that involves complete humiliation, Cyborg." Jericho stated by using Gnarrk's vocal chords. While he was satisfied the plan had worked, he had not forgotten all that Cyborg had put him through and certainly wasn't ready to forgive him yet.

"That's the first time I've ever heard 'Narrk speak in full sentences," Cyborg acknowledged with a grin.

"It's _G_-Narrk," Beast Boy corrected Cyborg as he turned back to his normal form. "You've really outdone yourself this time Jericho. Now you're gonna have Raven and Gnarrk to answer to."

"Well, at least I stopped the kiss," Jericho countered, causing Beast Boy to turn red.

"Gnarrk? Why'd you leave?" Kole asked as she approached the Titans. "Oh! Am I interrupting something?"

"Not at all little lady," Cyborg stated with a grin, clearly enjoying part two of Jericho's humiliation.

Kole gave Cyborg a mocking glare, not taking kindly to the comment of her being a "little lady." Her expression was replaced with excitement as she stated, "Love the vampire look Beast Boy! It suits you well!"

"Brains!" Beast Boy stated, giving the wrong interpretation of a vampire.

"No man, you've got it all wrong! Vampire's don't want brains, zombies do!" Cyborg corrected the green changeling.

"Nuh uh! Vampires want brains too! They drink your blood for crying out loud, and your brain must have a bunch of it stored up there!" Beast Boy countered then knocked on Cyborg's metallic cranium for emphasis.

"I thought you'd be the expert on this, but no zombie would ever want to eat your brains! It's lacking in nutrition and is brainwashed to fill your tofu-loving needs!" Cyborg yelled and crossed his arms to prove his point.

"Well, no vampire would want your brain, there's not enough blood, only empty air chrome-dome!" Beast Boy replied back.

"You take that back you little-" Cyborg started. Jericho could feel the prior argument turning into a heated debate.

"Nuh uh!" Best Boy simply stated, then stuck out his tongue.

"Uh huh!"

"Nuh uh!"

"Uh huh!"

"Nuh uh!"

"UH HUH!" Cyborg bellowed, then the two began to bicker. Jericho quietly took Kole's hand and the two slowly backed away from the scene.

"Well that got out of hand pretty fast," Kole commented as she was led away from the scene. The two decided to take a quick stop near the buffet and pile some food onto their plates. They sat at a nearby table and began enjoying their delectables. Jericho knew that what he was doing was wrong, but Kole still hadn't figured out that Gnarrk wasn't really Gnarrk. All he had to do was find some way to escape from her, which he really didn't want to do, and then jump out of his body without her or anyone else knowing.

"Gnarrk, you've hardly touched anything on your plate. That's so unlike you...is everything okay?" Kole asked Jericho with a concerned expression. Jericho didn't even notice that he hadn't touched his food, unintentionally swirling the assortments with his fork while he was in thought, creating an abstract arrangement on his plate.

"And you're using kitchen utensils," Kole continued, "You never use utensils, you always eat with your hands…"

Uh oh. Maybe Jericho should've been paying more attention. Kole was definitely becoming suspicious of his actions. It was only a matter of time before she uncovered the truth. He tried to cover up his mistake by slamming down his fork and gobbling down the rest of the food with his hands. He didn't enjoy eating so much and his stomach surely rejected the amount of food handled.

"You're looking sick...maybe we should go back home-" Kole offered, but got cut off.

"Gnarrk!" Jericho hastily rejected, then realized how loud he was speaking. He gained back his composure and lowered his voice a couple of notches before calmly replying, "Gnarrk."

"Alright, alright," Kole hastily agreed, seeing Gnarrk's- or rather, Jericho's certainty. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay. You know, you've been acting really strange ever since Raven fainted…" Kole stated, arousing her suspicions even more.

"Gnarrk!" Jericho quickly yelled, then grabbed a hold of Kole's arm and dragged her away from the table.

"Wait! Gnarrk, where are we going?" Kole asked as she struggled to keep up with Jericho's pace. Jericho led her to the dance floor where a slow song was currently playing. He wasn't even listening to the song at first, only trying desperately to distract Kole from her suspicions. Once he heard it though, his face lit up with excitement, but also guilt. Gnarrk should've been the one dancing with Kole, not him. After all, he had beat him to the plate when asking her. Still, maybe he wouldn't mind dancing with Kole for just one song.

"Oh! You want to dance?" Kole asked with excitement. "You haven't wanted to the entire time we've been here."

To answer her question, Jericho placed both of his large hands onto either side of Kole's waist. Kole smiled and reached her arms up to drape them over Jericho's shoulder, but with a small laugh exclaimed, "You're too tall Gnarrk! I can't reach that high!" With a smirk, Jericho hoisted her up off of the ground slightly so she could properly place her arms onto his shoulders. She let a giggle escape her mouth.

"I guess you'll have to guide us since my feet can't touch the ground." Kole stated with an exuberant burst of energy. Jericho could feel his cheeks flush red as he guided them across the dance floor. He stared longingly into Kole's eyes, wishing that time would stop for a moment so that he could savor the memory forever. Here he was, dancing with the girl of his dreams, the girl of his dreams _letting _him carry her around the dance floor, trusting him enough to stand so close to her. They swayed with each beat of the music, Jericho's heartbeat escalating the more he danced. Kole rested her head on his broad shoulder, which pulled him back to reality.

This wasn't his shoulder, this was Gnarrk's. Kole wasn't seeing Jericho, she was seeing Gnarrk. He let out a little sigh, letting his thoughts from the moment before evaporate into thin air.

Ignoring Jericho's sigh, Kole whispered, "I never knew you could dance." Jericho felt the guilt begin to bear down on him. Was it worth getting to experience this wonderful feeling with Kole without her realizing that it was Jericho she was dancing with?

When the song ended, he gently placed her back down onto the floor, her feet gracefully making contact with the ground. She slowly slid her arms from his shoulders to his arms, down to his hands. Kole entwined both of her hands with Jericho's meaty ones before saying, "Come with me, there's something I need to tell you." Jericho stood, dumbfounded for a moment before letting Kole guide them out of the room.

Outside, night had already approached. They stood on a patio with fluorescent paper lanterns strung above their heads. Each lantern was etched with Halloween designs. Festive balloons dangled from the sides of the doorway. She let go of his hands as they made their way to the edge of the patio, where a white railing blocked the path. Kole leaned against the fence, letting her elbows rest on the top of it as she stared at the twinkling stars. Her eyes glowed with immense curiosity.

Jericho decided to let the silence envelop them for a while, respecting Kole's thoughts and allowing her talk when she was ready to. He stared at her complexion the entire time as crickets began to fill the silence with their chirps and owls hooted in the distance.

She finally let out an admirable sigh and whispered, "Isn't it weird how stars appear so close together in the sky, but in reality they're millions of light years away from each other?"

"Gnarrk?" Jericho asked, wondering why Kole would ask such an intriguing question. He was starting to despise the caveman's vocabulary usage because he really wanted to ask her to elaborate more, but was set with the limitations of using only one word.

"I remember feeling like that once, isolated, like no one could ever understand what I'd been through." Kole softly acknowledged, drifting her gaze onto Jericho. He had no idea what she had been through, but for her to suddenly openly talk about it made him curious as to what her point was. Most of the Titans had dark pasts that none of them spoke of, and Jericho was sure his past was in the top ten.

"...That is, until I met you." Kole smiled as she lowered her gaze to the ground, still leaning on the railing. Where was she getting at? What was her point?

She let in a shaky breath as she proclaimed, "I think I like you."

Jericho was completely bewildered.

He leaned on the railing for support as he gathered his bearings. Kole was in love with Gnarrk?

When Jericho didn't respond, she let out a simple laugh and looked over at him. With a smirk she exclaimed, "Why Gnarrk, what manners you've shown tonight!" Jericho thought back to when he was eating with a proper utensil.

She scooted closer to him as she continued, "And what an outgoing personality!" Again, he thought back to when he was slow dancing with Kole.

Her expression turned sly as she was merely inches away from him. She whispered as she bat her eyelashes, "My my, Gnarrk. What big, green eyes you have!"

This was bad.

Had she figured it out?

She pretended to look confused as she stated, "Wait a second, I don't remember you having green eyes Gnarrk. And you certainly don't wear colored contacts. Who could possibly be behind those wonderful eyes-"

"Okay, okay! I admit it." Jericho hastily stated with a laugh. He wasn't sure why he was laughing, Kole had found out the truth and would surely punish him for it. "How'd you know?"

"Like I said, _green eyes_. and I kinda figured it out ever since the whole utensils thing. My Gnarrk would never resort himself to such polite habits!"

"So...are you mad? After all, I kind of possessed your best friend." Jericho uneasily let a chuckle escape his lips.

Kole hesitated. "No...I'm not mad. I just want to know why."

Jericho cleared his throat and averted her gaze. He really didn't want her to find out about his costume, but it looked like he didn't have any other choice. That is, unless he possessed Kole…

No, of course he wouldn't do that. This was the most he'd talked to Kole all night, and he wasn't about to let his insecurity get in the way of what mattered most.

However, before he answered her question, he had to ask, "What about what you said? About liking Gnarrk…" He could hear his voice falter.

Her smile grew even wider. "I never said I liked Gnarrk. I mean, of course I like him, but not in that way. I said that I...liked you."

Now it was Jericho's turn to grin like a maniac. "You do?"

"Yeah, I do." Kole beamed with pure pleasure with a tint of pink added to her rosy cheeks.

"Jericho?" Kole asked, locking her eyes with his. He felt himself shudder at the sound of his name coming out of her mouth.

What was he thinking? He hadn't even returned her feelings or told her that she was his center of all things beautiful!

"Kole!" He quickly stammered. "I...I like you too. I've liked you for a long time."

"Really?"

"Really!"

"Then can I ask you something?"

"Of course," Jericho replied.

"...Why are you inside of Gnarrk?"

His goofy grin soon turned into a look of guilt. He let out a sigh. He had to tell her, that's what couples did, right? Wait, did he just call him and Kole a couple? It didn't matter, he would've told Kole the truth no matter what. She was his best friend. He soon recollected the humiliating tales of the night, starting with his rejection and ending with almost having to kiss Beast Boy.

Kole looked rather flattered. "You mean to say you did all of that, just so that I wouldn't see your costume?" When it came out of Kole's mouth, the very idea sounded preposterous. He slowly nodded his head. "Well, since you went through all that trouble, I guess it's only fair for you not to show me." Once again, Jericho found himself dumbfounded. He thought Kole would want him out of Gnarrk as soon as possible for the sake of her friend.

She patted him on the back. "But Jericho, I want you to know that I like you for what's on the inside, not for what Starfire did to you. No amount of makeup, hair gel, or glitter could ever make me think twice about what an amazing person you are." Jericho felt his face get warm. She was right. He wasted an entire evening trying to hide from Kole, when in reality he could've been spending the entire night with her. No, she deserved to see him even after all the trouble they'd been through. With one final look, Jericho emerged from Gnarrk's body, leaving him unconscious.

"He'll be alright, I just hope he doesn't freak out when he wakes up." Kole stated, then looked up to meet the eyes of Jericho.

For once, Jericho felt like he was speaking for the first time, even though he wasn't using words or even sign language. No, Jericho and Kole's relationship would be stronger than just using words, it had been for quite some time. With one look, he entwined his fingers with Kole's and led her back into the room, regardless of what apparel he was wearing.

"And by the way, I think you look cute as a bad boy."

(~ ~ ~)

As the duo approached the dance floor, they were met with exclamations from the other Titans, all directed towards Jericho. Yes, he knew he looked ridiculous in a rock in roll getup; Starfire had etched his eyes with an unreasonable amount of eyeliner, followed by a thick coat of hair gel that turned his soft curls in spikes on top of his head. He wore a black leather jacket, black gloves that were cut halfway, skin-tight leather jeans, and black combat boots to complete the look. Draped across his shoulder was a turquoise electric guitar.

He was met with smirks, giggles, and plain outbursts of laughter as the Titans saw Jericho from a new perspective. The usual silent, pacifist boy was the near opposite and his outer appearance screamed dangerous. That was why so many of the Titans had stopped to notice the boy for once. They could've never imagine the sweet, innocent boy they thought they knew so well to be dressed up as something so bipolar from his personality.

Jericho knew that he was the center of attention at the moment, but he didn't care. Because at the moment, Kole was the only thing that mattered to him. Jericho was mesmerized by the girl as he situated himself in the slow dance position he wore before, this time meeting eyes with Kole instead of having to sweep her off her feet across the dance floor. The music was upbeat, but time seemed to screech to a halt as the two twirled in each other's arms, moving to the rhythm of love.

Before he knew it, a bright light beamed down on him and Kole, stopping them from further dancing. He heard the other Titans chant, "Kiss, kiss, kiss!" and knew exactly what was going on. Still keeping his hands around Kole's waist, he mouthed the words _Will you be my crystal?_

He was met with soft, pink lips.

Jericho felt a million fireworks burst through his field of vision, and he was sure his heart had leaped to the moon and back again.

The other Titans cheered, but they were soon cut off by an indistinct sound. Suddenly, Raven appeared, pulling a struggling Beast Boy and Cyborg behind her by the ears. She soon grabbed onto Jericho's and muttered, "Boys."

"Uh, Jericho! The mayor left because he had some unfinished business to take care of, whatever that means." Beast Boy hastily explained. "Ow, ow, ow!"

"Which basically means we're screwed!" Cyborg added, trying his best to fight off the empath's death grip.

"It's time for a makeover," Raven simply stated, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. Even though he knew his fate was sealed, he grinned wildly as he and the other two were dragged out of the room. He took one last look at Kole, his _girlfriend_, before the door closed completely. Raven set them onto the grass before starting, "Any last words?"

"Um…" Beast Boy tried, then huddled closer to Cyborg and Jericho. "I'd love to stay and chat, but I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date!" With that, he shape shifted into a Pterodactyl, dragging a dumbfounded Cyborg and a love struck Jericho behind him as he sailed into the sky.

"Happy Halloween," Raven murmured before soaring into the night sky, her eyes locked on a certain green changeling.

**Anyone catch that? I was trying to make Kole sound like Little Red Riding Hood :) Oh right, I don't own that either. Or Alice and Wonderland. I'm sorry this seemed kind of rushed, I just felt bad because I haven't updated in awhile. Any who, I'll probably edit it later and re-post the chapter to make sure it all ties together well. Thank you so much for staying along for the ride, and let me know what you thought of the story, your favorite parts, etc, in a REVIEW!**


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